


Fever Pitch

by smittenbritain



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter/Funhaus RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Grand Theft Auto Setting, Canon-Typical Violence, Fake AH Crew, M/M, Trans Jack Pattillo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-10
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-12-13 18:09:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11765484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/smittenbritain/pseuds/smittenbritain
Summary: When Ryan first joined the crew, he kept to himself - but the Golden Boy didn't have the patience for privacy. Gavin poked and prodded at him, and wormed his way into being Ryan's first friend in a long time. Of course, the universe couldn't let him be content, and Ryan found himself falling for Gavin hard - and the lad had no idea.





	Fever Pitch

**Author's Note:**

> Feels good to finally get this one finished, man. This one's been going since the early chapters of Everything Is Permitted. Also fun fact, [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3RbCr5imv0) is a link to the song described later on in the fic!
> 
> If you like my work, you can find me on tumblr at [leftsmitteninbritain](https://leftsmitteninbritain.tumblr.com/).
> 
> EDIT - 29TH MARCH 2018: The wonderful artist known as [krembearrysiping](https://krembearrysiping.tumblr.com) made some art for this fic and I am absolutely blown away by their generosity. You can find the art [here](https://krembearrysiping.tumblr.com/post/172381576280/so-i-was-rereading-one-of-my-fave-freewood-fics) and please consider giving them a follow! <3

When Ryan first joined the crew, he kept to himself. He was a private person anyway, even with the people he was supposed to trust most. It took time before he even allowed himself to go without his mask and face paint around the others - it had been hard to shake the fear of betrayal initially.

The Golden Boy didn’t have the patience for privacy, though.

He pushed and prodded, and before Ryan knew it, he had his first friend in a long time. Gavin tugged him out into the open with the rest of the crew and pulled stories out of him, building those bonds of friendship between him and the others from the ground up. He never really shook the smug look whenever Ryan opened up just a little bit more, and even if Ryan wanted to get rid of that pleased grin, he was grateful for Gavin’s persistence in the end.

It meant that he had a strong bond with Gavin too. That, however, unlike a more solid foundation with the crew, had its pros and cons.

One of the reasons that fit into both categories was the situation Ryan found himself in right now.

Gavin had _plans_ tonight, the kind of plans that involved dressing nicely and heading to a bar to find a partner for the evening. Ryan couldn’t say he blamed him; they were fresh off of a heist with cash weighing down their pockets, and he could still feel the low thrum of adrenaline in his blood with no outlet. If Ryan had liked the bar atmosphere better, he might have done the same.

He couldn’t really remember when his last conquest had been; it had been so long ago and he’d been busy with the crew, so he just… hadn’t had the time or patience to find someone. That, and he felt such a strong pull towards Gavin that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to shake him out of his mind.

Perhaps the most devastating part was that Gavin had dragged him to his room for his opinion on his outfit.

Gavin had a pretty extensive wardrobe, and enough floor lengths mirrors with it to match his ego. Ryan was perched on the end of his bed, watching as Gavin studied his reflection with a critical eye, his lower lip between his teeth.

He didn’t realise he was staring until Gavin insistently said, “ _Ryan_.”

Ryan’s head jerked up to meet his gaze. “Mm?”

Smirking, Gavin asked, “I asked if you thought this was good enough, but I think I already got my answer.”

He bit the inside of his cheek in an effort to keep his own attention on the here and now, and not the way those jeans hugged Gavin’s ass. Ryan was grateful that his face paint was still on, as smeared as it was; the red of it would hide his flushed cheeks. “You’re welcome,” he replied, deadpan even though his chest ached with want.

Gavin laughed, spinning back to the mirror to watch himself as he smoothed out a few creases in his shirt. “Thanks. Are you sure I can’t convince you to come along? I’m probably not the best wingman, but I could probably get you someone.”

Oh, if only Gavin knew.

Rather than get anywhere close to saying what was on his mind, Ryan shrugged him off and shifted his gaze elsewhere. “Nah. I’ll probably just go for a drive or something to relax.”

“Whatever floats your boat, Rye.” Gavin crossed the room to scoop up his signature gold-rimmed sunglasses from his nightstand, and he ruffled Ryan’s hair with a playful grin. “If you change your mind, you know where to find us. We’re all going to the usual place.”

If the whole crew was going, Ryan really would be alone. He supposed it was still better than being a designated driver at the end of the night.

Since Gavin was getting ready to leave - he’d grabbed his wallet and his phone, and was patting himself down to check he had everything he needed - Ryan stood as well, hands tucked into his jacket pockets. “Have fun,” he said. “Don’t get into any trouble. I’m not coming to help you out when everyone else is already there.”

“It’ll be fine,” Gavin replied, flapping a hand at him dismissively. “Nothing bad will happen, it’s just drinks with the crew!”

They left Gavin’s room together, and the lad split off from him to go and join up with the others. Michael and Jeremy welcomed him with a cheer, and the trio led the way to the elevator, Jack and Geoff following closely behind. Their boss glanced his way briefly as the others piled in, asking him a silent question with a single raised eyebrow: was Ryan coming?

Ryan gave a slight shake of his head. No.

Geoff, at least, accepted it with a nod and slipped into the elevator with the rest of the crew. There was a quiet chime as the doors shut and whisked them away.

With a heavy exhale, Ryan retreated to his own room. He needed to scrub off his face paint anyway.

* * *

Geoff didn’t often send anyone out on a solo, stealth mission. The Fake AH Crew’s style was more loud and involved explosions, preferably with plenty of the latter; they didn’t really enjoy working in the shadows. Sometimes, though, it was unavoidable, and it always fell to Ryan. He wasn’t particularly a fan, but he knew that he was the one with the most patience. None of the lads would be able to sit still long enough, but Ryan could.

It was how he found himself on a rooftop, flat on his belly and hunched over a sniper rifle. He peered through the scope, waiting for his victim to show his face. If the intel was good, then it shouldn’t be long now. Apparently, the guy always came out onto his balcony for a smoke at this time of the evening, and that would be the perfect chance.

People really did make it too easy sometimes, Ryan thought.

He jolted when his phone started to ring. It was trapped in his jeans pocket, vibrating against his upper thigh. Rather than shift around, Ryan decided to ignore it, and he soon tuned out the noise. After a few rings, the caller seemed to give up anyway, and the default jingle stopped.

Ryan breathed out a slow, steady breath to settle himself again. He set his eye back to the scope, carefully tracking the target as he wandered through his apartment. A few minutes more, and he'd have a clear shot.

And then his phone rang again.

He muffled a growl between his teeth. He threw a hand down to pull his phone out of his pocket, set it down near his face, and deliberately pressed _decline_. Ryan didn’t bother to check who it was before he got back into position again. Hopefully, that would send the message to _leave him alone_.

If only it were that simple. This time, the phone buzzed next to his face, and Ryan actually took the time to see who was calling.

 _Gavin_.

Of course.

He’d never been in the habit of denying Gavin something, so Ryan finally answered the call with a heavy sigh. “What do you want? You know I’m on a job.”

“ _Ryan, do you own any bookends?”_

Ryan blinked once. He blinked again, and then ducked his head to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Why on earth do you want to know if I own _bookends_?”

_“I’m curious! You’re so bloody strange, I wanna know about the normal things!”_

He felt a little twinge of quiet disappointment in his chest. Everyone tended to label him as strange before they really knew him, but he’d hoped that the crew understood him better than that - especially Gavin, who had pried him open and made him reveal so much of himself. Of all people, Gavin should know that he was just as dorky and normal as the rest of them.

Biting back his hurt, Ryan murmured, “No, I don’t have any bookends.”

 _“Huh.”_ There was a pause then, and Ryan set his eye back to the scope. _“What about actual books?”_

“Plenty of those.”

_“Plants?”_

That one caught Ryan by surprise. “You want to know if I have any plants?”

_“Everyone’s got some weird little thing that’s like a secret hobby. Maybe yours is plants. I dunno, I’ve never seen your room.”_

It had never occurred to Ryan that Gavin had never seen his bedroom. Whenever they hung out, it was usually in Gavin’s or the main room. It made sense that he wanted to find out more, he supposed, though Gavin’s wording could have been a little bit more sensitive.

Ryan swallowed hard, trying to focus on the task at hand rather than his emotions.

“I don’t have any plants,” he replied, “but I want some of those little ones. You know, like the little cacti?”

There was a squeal from the other end of the line. _“Aw, those are so cute! That’s adorable, Rye!”_

Despite himself, Ryan cracked a smile. “I guess.”

He paused, holding his breath as the target came into view. He heard Gavin talking, but he tuned it out as he hovered the crosshair over the man’s head. His finger curled around the trigger and squeezed - the shot rang out and the rifle jerked against his shoulder - the man crumpled on his balcony.

Ryan sat up, starting to disassemble the sniper rifle. Gavin still chattered away over the clicking of the gun being taken apart and set back into its case.

There was a pause for a second, and then Gavin said, _“Are you listening, Rye?”_

He snapped the case shut, and he snorted a quiet laugh. “I told you, I was working. I’m coming back now, though. What did I miss?”

 _“Oh, don’t worry about it.”_ Something about that told Ryan that maybe he should worry about it, but he didn’t press the issue. _“See you later!”_ And with that, the call cut off. Ryan was a little puzzled, but he brushed it off, and by the time he’d returned to the penthouse, he’d forgotten all about it.

* * *

After a few days of nothing, Ryan was starting to feel that familiar itch to _do_ something, and it seemed like the lads were, too. Given their closeness, Gavin was the one to catch him by the arm just as Ryan was about to leave the penthouse; it probably wasn’t that hard to notice that Ryan was chomping at the bit. If Gavin wanted his company for something, he'd caught him at the right moment.

“Ryan,” Gavin said simply, a smile playing on his lips. He hung off of his arm a little, swaying from side to side, as if it would sweeten whatever deal he was about to pose to him.

He paused, his mask in one hand and the other hovering by the elevator buttons. “Gavin?”

Gavin gave his arm a gentle tug, and Ryan let his hand drop. “Ryan,” the lad repeated, his smile widening. “Michael, Jeremy, and I wanted to go and do something. Maybe hold up the gas station down the street, give the cops a workout. You in?”

Well, it wasn’t like Ryan had had a particular plan in mind. Truth be told, he’d probably have just blown something up to get attention and then drawn the police out on a wild goose chase to get his blood pumping. If the lads wanted to make a little bit of extra cash, Ryan wouldn’t mind joining them.

Gavin seemed to sense when Ryan was about to agree, because his smirk turned shark-like. “You’re coming, aren’t you?”

His boredom already started to melt away a little bit. “To cause some chaos? Of course I am.”

Delighted, Gavin gripped his arm tighter, and he pulled him back further into the penthouse. “ _Yes_ , Ryan! We needed a big scary bloke like you to round this off. Nobody will try and ruin our fun now!”

“They wouldn’t anyway,” Ryan protested, keeping pace with him as Gavin rushed towards the meeting room - he assumed the lads had decided to ‘borrow’ it from Geoff. “You have Jeremy and Michael, that’s already a wall of muscle there.”

The look Gavin sent him over his shoulder sent a shiver down Ryan’s spine; it was full of sly promise. “They’re my lads,” he said, pushing on the door, “but I still need my Vagabond, too.”

Sometimes, Ryan really did wonder if Gavin knew what he did to him.

As Gavin let them in, he cheered, “Ryan’s here!” He trailed in behind Gavin and was met with whoops and claps from the two waiting lads. It was a little startling to be so warmly welcomed, but Ryan accepted it gracefully with a grin of his own. When all else failed, he was a pretty decent actor. It had carried him this far.

From there, it was a scramble to get down to the garage and get a car. They settled on one of Michael’s four-seaters; all of his cars were easily fast enough to outpace the police, and they would look gorgeous while they did. He was firmly in the driver’s seat, though, even though Jeremy pouted in the passenger seat. They all knew the only one Michael would trust with his cars was Ryan - the gent had so many beautiful vehicles of his own that he would treat them with the same respect if they needed a backup driver.

Ryan wasn’t really looking to drive, though. He wanted the thrill of a gun in his hands more than anything else. Really, he was glad Gavin had picked him out for intimidation here.

The robbery was a delightful whirlwind. Jeremy had turned out to be surprisingly good at making demands, so he was the one to approach the cash register, all fake sweet smiles and joking around like he and the skinny teen behind the counter were friends. It was impressive to see, really. Ryan wondered if maybe he’d been taking pointers from Gavin.

The Golden Boy himself was wandering around the tiny gas station, and Ryan wasn’t shocked to see where his attention had been drawn: the alcohol. He plucked a few bottles from the shelf, and then held them up for the cashier’s attention. “We’ll take these, too,” he said, a sharp grin on his face.

Ryan, for his part, stood by the door, looking menacing. This moment was where the thrill started for the lads, but it wasn’t Ryan's favourite bit. Not yet.

“Thanks, pal!” Jeremy laughed now, all smiles as he moved back from the counter with a nice sack of cash in hand. Ryan turned to hold the door open for the other two, and set his free hand on the butt of his pistol. “Take it easy!”

They ducked out with their spoils, and they had barely made it into the car before Ryan could hear distant police sirens.

“Let’s go, lads!” Gavin sounded giddy with excitement, and Ryan couldn’t blame him. With Michael behind the wheel, there would probably be a chase before they actually tried to escape. Wordlessly, Ryan pulled his pistol out from its holster, cocked it, and rolled down the window.

The car squealed as Michael took off, and the other three all laughed as it jolted them back against their seats. A quiet chuckle slipped out of him too under the mask, and he saw Gavin beam out of the corners of his eyes.

* * *

Naturally, the lads wanted to party when they got back to the penthouse.

The crew had a pool out on their balcony, and summer had truly set in - rain was a common occurrence in Los Santos, as if the city needed weather to match its mood, but today it seemed to reflect the Fake AH Crew instead.

When they all stumbled back into the penthouse, still laughing and smiling, they found the two other members already lounging out in the heat. The table between Jack and Geoff held a couple of fruity looking drinks and an iPod dock to play some soft music as they relaxed. Ryan almost felt bad to disturb them - it was even tempting to join them on another recliner - but the lads had already burst outside with their spoils.

“We’ve got bevs!” Gavin announced, raising his bottles high over his head.

“And money!” Jeremy chimed in.

Geoff pushed his bright pink sunglasses up from his face and squinted at them all. He only took in the sight of them for a moment before he shrugged and settled down again. “Do whatever. Just don’t fucking splash me.”

The lads were a burst of activity as they set up for the impromptu pool party. They rushed back inside to grab their trunks, Gavin’s delighted laugh echoing back out again as they disappeared from view.

Ryan just decided to take a seat on an empty lounger.

Without glancing over, Geoff dug into the cooler between him and Jack, and he offered Ryan a diet coke he’d had hidden in there. “Here.”

The can hissed as Ryan popped it open. It was wonderfully cold, and it took the edge off of the heat. “Did you take this from my stash in the kitchen?”

Geoff shrugged unapologetically. “Maybe. You’re welcome for it now, dickhead. And you might wanna take your jacket off unless you wanna fry under all that leather.”

He did have a point. Ryan tossed his mask onto the free seat on his other side, and his jacket quickly followed. He set his boots and socks to the side too, but he wasn’t so sure about anything else. Jack and Geoff were both in their swimwear as well, but truth be told, Ryan didn’t think he had anything like that. His wardrobe was pretty much half Vagabond, and half dad jeans and t-shirts.

The lads barrelled back outside again, a bottle of something already uncorked and held high. It looked like they’d already taken a few swigs, judging by the missing liquor and their new rush of excitement. They barely stopped to let Gavin carefully put their spoils down before Michael proceeded to shove him into the pool. His indignant squawk was lost in the splash and the other lads' raucous laughter.

Gavin rose up again, spluttering and wiping his face. “ _Michael!_ ”

Even in such an unflattering state, Ryan thought he looked beautiful. His stomach twisted a little as he realised just how hard he was falling.

He was the _Vagabond_ , damn it. The crew saw a friendlier side to him, sure, but Ryan couldn’t allow himself to be so weak for one person. If the wrong people noticed, it could be bad for all of them, not just Ryan.

On the other hand… it was kind of nice to realise that someone could still give him butterflies. It was definitely more than lust, Ryan knew that, but while it was pleasant, it didn’t mean he had to like it entirely.

By the time the lads clambered out of the pool for more drinks, Ryan had long since finished his diet coke, and he’d sprawled back in the lounger for lack of anything better to do. He cracked his eyes open when he heard someone approaching, squinting when he realised it was Gavin standing over him, right in front of the sun.

“Ryan,” he cooed, reaching out to poke at his shoulder. “You should come in the pool!”

He closed his eyes again. He hoped he was good at keeping up his cool, Vagabond-esque attitude when inside he was a mess at the sight of a bare-chested, glowing Gavin. “No thanks.”

“You must be hot, though!” Gavin plucked at his shirt. “Dressed all in black, you must be bloody boiling! The pool will help you cool off.”

It was, admittedly, getting a little warm in his jeans and dark shirt. He hadn’t even taken off the black paint still smeared around his eyes - Ryan had been too impatient this morning to bother doing his whole face. Still, the pool wasn’t exactly an option considering he didn’t have swim trunks, though maybe he stood out a little since he was the only one fully dressed. Even Jack and Geoff had changed for the occasion.

Ryan thinned his lips as he tried to come up with a good enough excuse. “I’m fine,” he said after a brief pause. “Besides, even if I did want to get in the pool, I don’t have anything to wear.”

“You could just strip down to your undies,” Gavin suggested, and God, Ryan could _hear_ the grin in his voice.

This time, he didn’t have a full face of paint to cover his blush. Instead, Ryan kept his eyes firmly shut to try and maintain that unbothered facade. “I’m good, thanks. I don’t think I want to expose everything to Los Santos.”

“Oh, it’s just us, nobody can see you from this high up.” The lounger dipped as Gavin sat down on the edge. Ryan opened one eye, the eyebrow above it raised in a silent question that Gavin naturally ignored. “If you’re not gonna join us, at least strip off a bit before you cook yourself. It’s too hot to wear that much.”

Ryan let out a long, heavy sigh. At this point, Gavin probably wouldn’t let it go. Reluctantly, he sat up, grabbing his empty coke can. “I’ll see what I have,” he said.

Gavin gave him that delighted grin again. “There you go, Rye. Can’t have you boiling and moping about when it’s such a lovely day!” With little more than a pat on the arm, Gavin darted off again, and Ryan realised it was because Michael had started pouring drinks. He used this as his opportunity to sneak back inside while everyone was distracted with alcohol.

It was tempting to hide away in his room now that he had an out, but Ryan hesitated in the kitchen. He could hear a babble of laughter from outside as things got started - even Geoff was joining in now, when he’d seemed so focused on relaxation beforehand.

Really, the decision was easy.

When Ryan returned to the party, he was clad only in sunglasses and a pair of shorts he’d dug out from the back of his wardrobe. The sun _was_ actually pretty nice on his bare skin. There was something to be said for lounging by the poolside with an ice cold diet coke.

He was so caught up in settling down next to Jack that he missed Gavin’s reaction: staring, and then blushing when Michael startled him with a light punch to the arm.

* * *

The dark seclusion of his room was often a relief. Today in particular, Ryan craved the silence and the chance to lock himself away for a few hours - even if he didn’t sleep, he wanted to curl up under the blankets and let his mind rest.

He was sure he could still hear the police sirens ringing in his ears.

He often delighted in dragging the LSPD out on a wild goose chase, but even Ryan had his limits. When a thirty minute distraction technique turned into hours, his patience began to wear thin, but the cops had seemed determined this time. They had come out in force, somehow thinking that this was the time they would get their hands on the Vagabond.

They didn’t. Ryan was too good to be caught so easily, but he could feel the strain of the time spent running around. There was a headache building in his temples, and he wanted nothing more than to hide until it passed.

The moment he set foot in his room, though, Ryan knew that someone had been there.

It had to have been someone in the crew, ignoring that they knew better than to disturb Ryan’s private quarters. Nobody else had access to the penthouse - unless there had been a break in, in which case he needed to find Geoff. Everything seemed to be in place, but-

There was a tiny, potted cactus on his bedside table.

Ryan slowly shut the door behind himself, and then approached to investigate. There was no note, nothing to indicate how it got there. Just a small, fat cactus, sitting on his table like it had always been there.

He'd only talked to one person about plants.

Gavin had remembered their conversation from so long ago now. Something in Ryan’s chest went warm with the knowledge. It had been a passing comment, nothing more - but Gavin had remembered.

* * *

As much as Ryan didn’t enjoy a bar atmosphere, sometimes the crew persuaded him to go out with them. On those nights, he was usually the designated driver and caretaker of a bunch of drunken criminals. It was a bit of a dangerous occupation at the best of times - sometimes more than when they were all sober, especially where the lads were concerned - but it could be amusing, too.

Jack and Geoff never drank as heavily as the lads either, so Ryan wasn’t always without company. In recent weeks, Geoff had seemed to forego drinking altogether, and tonight he joined Ryan in a simple diet coke. Ryan was kind of curious about the choice, but he didn’t pry.

They were a few rounds in when it was Ryan’s turn to buy. Usually, he managed to slip out of paying by reminding them that he was driving them home, but when Gavin pouted at him, how could he refuse?

Armed with a mental list and a generous offering of cash, Ryan headed up to the bar with the order. How hard could it be? In the grand scheme of things, he’d done far more terrifying things than ask for six drinks - though, admittedly, Ryan would prefer to spray down cops with his machine gun than talk to people in a crowded bar.

He rattled off the request to the bartender probably a little too quickly, but the woman seemed to catch it and she busied herself with grabbing them. Ryan leaned against the bar, drumming his fingers against it as he tried to stay patient, even with the crowd around him pressing against him uncomfortably close. How long did it take to get two cokes and a few bottles of beer anyway?

The hand at his elbow made him jump. “Hey, handsome. Don’t think I’ve seen you around here before.”

Ryan withdrew his arm, casting the man a wary look. Objectively, he was pretty good looking, but Ryan really wasn’t interested. His mind was already set elsewhere, and besides, he wasn’t about to take the risk of sleeping with a random person.

“I’m the designated driver for a few friends,” Ryan replied. Hopefully, making it obvious that he wasn’t going anywhere would make the guy leave him alone. He was a little flattered, but he really didn’t want anything to do with this man. He just wanted to get his drinks and go.

After all, someone else had already caught his eye, though Ryan was reluctant to admit how smitten he was.

The man leaned against the bar next to him, eyebrows raised. “What, you can’t have a little fun while they drink?”

Before Ryan could get a reply out, there was suddenly a warm weight at his other side, gangly limbs winding around him. He looked down, and could only stare when he realised it was Gavin, fingers curling into the front of his shirt to keep Ryan close.

“Ryan, love,” Gavin cooed, “what’s taking so long?”

The man took a small step back, seemingly surprised. Honestly, if Ryan wasn’t trying to play along with whatever Gavin was doing right now, he would be just as outwardly shocked. Gavin was a physical kind of person, yes, forever climbing over the crew in a strange way of showing affection, but he’d never pressed up against Ryan like they were lovers before.

It was giving him far, far too many ideas that would no doubt pursue his thoughts when he got home.

“I’m-” Ryan cleared his throat, desperately trying to get a hold of himself. “I’m just waiting for the drinks.”

Gavin pouted up at him, and then rested his head against his chest like it was the most natural thing in the world. “Well, they need to hurry up. I missed you.”

It felt like his heart was in his throat, and it was hard to swallow it back down. This couldn’t be real, right? Gavin had had a little to drink, he didn’t mean these things the way Ryan hoped he did. He couldn’t let his feelings get the better of himself - Ryan’s thing was all impulse and chaos in the field, sure, but it would be a disaster if he rolled with his gut here.

Gavin giggled once the man left, and then he drew back to put a bit of space between them. His palm stayed pressed to Ryan’s chest. “There you go. You didn’t look too pleased when that bloke leaned in. Thought I’d come over and play a part to get him to bugger off.”

And there it was. Ryan’s heart sunk again, though he covered it all up with impassive look. “He was pretty annoying,” he agreed. “Thank you.”

Their drinks were finally placed on the bar next to them, and Gavin scooped up a couple of them with a grin. “Anytime, lovely Ryan. Really, though, come on, the lads were getting pissy when they ran out of stuff to drink.” With that, Gavin turned to lead the way back to the table, a spring in his step. After a moment to catch his breath, Ryan followed with the other drinks in hand.

* * *

The lads were rowdy when they got back to the penthouse. The moment they were home, Geoff eagerly retreated to his own room to escape them, and Jack followed with a sympathetic look directed at Ryan. Clearly, that meant that he was on babysitting duty.

Ryan would get revenge somehow. He was sure of it.

Michael and Gavin had already made a beeline for the couch, and Ryan heard the telltale sound of the Xbox starting up not long after. Jeremy, on the other hand, had headed straight for the drinks cabinet and had started rooting around inside to see what he could find. Ryan heard clinking bottles as he clumsily knocked them together, and then a delighted cry as he emerged with a bottle of jägermeister.

“Ryan!” Gavin called, that coo from earlier back in his voice. He patted the empty spot on the couch next to him more forcefully than he probably meant to, or maybe he just really wanted to get his attention with the thumping sound. “Come and sit!”

He had little choice when he had to stay here anyway. He might as well hang out with them and try to find some enjoyment in this while he made sure the lads didn’t break anything - or each other.

And, well, Gavin’s cheer when Ryan dropped down next to him was encouraging enough.

Gavin leaned against his side, head tipping back so he could look up at him. Ryan could easily tell he’d had a fair bit more to drink now, so he wasn’t sure how to interpret this kind of physical affection from Gavin. “We’re gonna play _Jackbox!_ ” the lad said, elbowing Ryan clumsily. “You should join in!”

 _Jackbox_ when they were drunk probably wouldn’t make for the best answers, but it’d be entertaining, to say the least. Ryan rolled his eyes and reached into his pocket for his phone. “Only if you promise to actually try.”

“I’ll try!” Gavin insisted. He had already pulled his phone out, and he fumbled as he tried to put in the room code for the game. “I always try!”

Jeremy set his bottle down on the coffee table with a firm thud, and then more delicately set shot glasses down around it. “Shots for winning a round!”

“Pass,” Ryan said.

Jeremy pointed at him. “Drink of coke for Ryan if he wins a round!” he said, correcting himself.

Ryan cracked a smile. “Better.”

Armed with their drinks, the game began. As predicted, the lads weren’t the most coherent with their answers right now, but some of them were amusing enough - especially when coming up with good responses and typing them quickly became a bit of an issue. Michael seemed to be holding it together the most, and like Ryan, he ended up shaking his head at the state of the other two.

As excited as they had been about _Jackbox_ , it didn’t last long. After only a few rounds, Gavin’s answers were more and more delayed coming in, and by the last, he had slumped against Ryan’s side. Quietly, he snored against Ryan’s shoulder, his phone limp in his grasp. Ryan gently took it and set it on the table before he could drop it; Gavin went through so many phones already through cracking the screens, and Ryan wasn’t going to let him drop another while he slept.

The gesture didn’t go unnoticed, though. Michael’s smile was sly, and he cocked his head a little as he looked at them. Ryan felt his cheeks turn a little pink, even though he had nothing to be embarrassed about here. “What?”

“That’s cute,” he said, nodding towards the pair of them. “It’s good to see Gav’s not completely stupid about who he’s going after.”

Ryan frowned. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Michael tilted his head the other way. “Huh.”

“ _Huh_?” Ryan repeated.

He half expected Michael to parrot it back at him again, but the lad was just silent, considering him with those irritatingly knowing eyes. Usually, Gavin was the one pulling all the strings - the Golden Boy with a silver tongue - but Michael was deceptively good at finding things out. Sometimes, a guy who was friendly enough to chat over a beer was enough.

Maybe that was what had happened here. Or maybe Michael was more observant than Ryan had given him credit for; had he picked up on his pining? Was this going to be _a talk_?

With Jeremy passed out on the other end of the couch, Ryan felt decidedly more vulnerable.

Michael was still staring at him. Ryan shifted uncomfortably, though he was careful not to disturb Gavin next to him. He wanted to know whatever Michael had on him.

“I’m gonna tell you this because Gavin’s too much of an idiot to do it properly himself, and I’m tired of hearing him complain,” Michael said, leaning forwards to grab his beer. He took a long, slow sip of it, and Ryan would swear it was to torture him. Damn it, Michael. “I’m also telling you because I think it’s relevant anyway.”

“Okay?” Ryan prompted, more confused than before. Michael had lost him now; Ryan had no idea what he was getting at. Maybe he’d interpreted things a little wrong.

Michael tilted the beer towards him, using the neck of it to point between them. “Gavin’s into you, dude. Do with that what you will - don’t be a dickhead, but if it’s mutual, do me and Jeremy a fucking favour and bang him already. It’s all we hear when we have a Lads Night.”

The weight of Gavin against his side felt a lot more significant now. He’d wanted Ryan here next to him in his drunken state tonight, he’d approached him earlier, he’d left him the tiny cactus. Ryan had been under the impression that he was the only one to form more romantic feelings after such a close friendship, but maybe he’d been wrong all along. Of course, Gavin could maybe only want something physical from him - Michael hadn’t really specified - but…

Gavin was so warm next to him.

“Thank you for telling me,” Ryan said.

Michael just shrugged and drained the rest of his beer. “It was driving me fucking nuts to see you two dance around each other,” he replied simply. “You’re too awkward and he hates making the first move. I just fixed it. You’re welcome.”

* * *

Ryan didn’t make a move right away. He wanted time to digest this information and decide how to go about this. He wanted to make it clear that this was a romantic endeavour, after all, not just a sexual one. It would, admittedly, be pretty heartbreaking to get somewhere only to find out afterwards that Gavin wasn’t in it for more.

So the plan was to take a little time to figure something out, find a way to express this to Gavin and, hopefully, get a positive response. Maybe he could ask him out on a date - or whatever passed for a date in their lifestyle.

Naturally, though, nothing could ever go according to plan with the crew.

There just wasn’t any time. With preparations for a new job underway, all of them were busy - there were rarely any spare moments, and there certainly weren’t any alone with Gavin. Even if he _had_ known what to say, Ryan wouldn’t have had a chance before the job took place.

Maybe it was for the best. Any new relationship would be something to get used to before something as important to the crew as this. It would be a distraction to begin with - Ryan could handle himself out in the field, but there was no telling how the rest of it would go just yet.

He decided to wait until after the job was done. There would, inevitably, be a celebration of some kind. Hopefully, there would be a chance to talk to Gavin then.

* * *

Geoff had chosen to go to a club this time. Even though the three lads were the heaviest drinkers - Geoff had officially sworn off of alcohol now, and Jack had always preferred to take it slowly anyway - the whole crew had been shepherded out for a party. They blended seamlessly with the civilians that already occupied the place, and for once they could concentrate on just having fun.

Except Ryan’s half formed plan had already fallen to pieces. He’d lost Gavin in the crowd - presumably, he was with the other lads somewhere, since Ryan hadn’t seen them for a while either - and he stood at the side of the room with Geoff and Jack, sipping at a coke idly.

Michael was right. Ryan was too awkward. He wasn’t entirely sure how to do this.

Truth be told, it had been years since he’d tried to initiate a relationship. It wasn’t a smart idea to do it when he lived in the criminal world, so he’d simply drifted from the idea of it. There had been flings here and there with others in the business, but nothing serious. Ryan wasn’t entirely sure he remembered _how_ to do a relationship.

All he knew was that the thought of waking up next to Gavin every morning gave him butterflies, and that had to count for something.

The music was so loud that Ryan could feel the bass in his chest. Somehow, Jack and Geoff were managing to have a conversation; the former had leaned in to put her lips close to his ear, though Ryan could still faintly hear her shouting to be heard. She said something that made Geoff laugh, and Ryan smiled to himself at the sight of a happy crew before he turned his gaze out across the crowd.

Countless people bounced together on the dancefloor, the dimness combined with the strobe lighting making it hard to actually pick out any familiar faces. For all he knew, the lads could have headed out hours ago - how long had they actually been here now? It felt like years to Ryan. After a tiring day - and an even more exhausting few weeks - Ryan was ready to collapse in bed. Everything else on his mind could wait until he’d gotten some rest. He tipped back the rest of his coke and set the cup aside in preparation to leave, planning on telling the other two he was heading out.

At least, that was what he was thinking until Gavin actually showed up again.

Gavin looked ethereal in this light. He looked somewhat magical, glowing as he grinned thanks to the lights reflecting off his various bits of jewellery - the couple of rings he wore, his golden watch, the gaudy sunglasses somehow still perched delicately on his head. Ryan spotted the other two lads behind him, breathless at the edge of the crowd, and he assumed that he must have been dancing this whole time.

How did Gavin still look so put together? Ryan felt his stomach flip. Gavin truly was incredible.

The lad beamed when he saw Ryan, and he rushed up to grasp his hand. Their fingers laced together; Ryan felt the cool metal of Gavin’s rings against his skin as he pressed closer, leaning up on tiptoes to speak directly into his ear. Ryan could barely suppress a shiver when he felt Gavin’s lips brush against him.

“ _Dance with me, Ryan._ ”

Ryan swallowed hard, and he turned his head to reply. “I’m not much of a dancer.”

He could practically feel Gavin’s smile. “It’s okay. Dance with me.”

Gavin tugged on his hand, and Ryan followed him out onto the dancefloor.

A new song started, one with a low, thrumming beat that rattled around in Ryan’s ribcage. It almost seemed to get louder now that they were lost in the crowd; Gavin pressed close against him and started moving, following the music easily. The anonymity of the people around him let Ryan relax a little, and he tried to follow Gavin’s lead.

It seemed to work for him. Gavin rewarded him with a smile.

The way Gavin danced drew Ryan’s gaze. It was effortless, his hips swaying and his body shifting to follow. Ryan knew he looked awkward in comparison.

As if sensing that, Gavin turned, his back now pressed to Ryan’s chest. He reached back to grasp his hands again, firmly planting them on his own hips before he lifted his arms to lose himself in the music again.

It was like it started to click in Ryan’s head. With Gavin arching back into him suggestively, he could let more of his reservations slip away, and his desires came forward in their wake. At first, he wasn’t sure if Gavin meant for it to plant such ideas, but when his ass seemed to purposefully brush against Ryan’s front for what felt like the hundredth time already, Michael’s words echoed in his head.

Gavin was into him.

Maybe this was him making a move.

Ryan’s grip on his hips tightened a little and pulled him back more firmly. He could look down Gavin’s body from here, and he noted the way the lad inhaled sharply and grinned.

A shiver ran down Ryan’s spine. He was on the right track.

From there, dancing was easier, and Ryan figured it was because it felt like less dancing and more like foreplay.

Gavin twisted in his grip again, his arms draping themselves around Ryan’s neck and his fingers winding into his hair. It would be so, so easy to duck down and kiss Gavin like he’d ached to for so long; their faces were certainly close enough. Ryan could feel Gavin’s breath against his cheek as he panted.

Before he could turn his head to catch them, though, Gavin leaned up to his ear again, using his grip on his hair to pull him down. Ryan wouldn’t admit that that sent a sliver of heat down into his stomach.

“Take me home?” Gavin asked.

So similar to only minutes ago, but so different now - a question rather than a demand. The song had barely finished and was just smoothly transitioning into another, but it felt like they’d been dancing for much longer.

The effect it had had on them both hadn’t gone unnoticed. As Gavin pressed close, he could feel Gavin’s erection against his thigh.

All earlier thoughts had gone out of the window. Talking could come later, Ryan’s lust-addled brain decided. Gavin _wanted_ him.

“ _Yes_ ,” he breathed. At first, he wasn’t sure if Gavin had heard, but when he looped his arm around his waist to pull him off of the dancefloor, Gavin eagerly kept pace.

On their way out, Ryan caught Jack’s eye. She seemed to understand from a simple tilt of the head towards the door that they were going home, and while she glanced down at their physical proximity, she didn’t seem to question it. No, the shark-like grin came from the man stood next to her: Michael had a fresh drink in his hands, and mirth was written all over his face. Flushing, Ryan flipped him off before he and Gavin disappeared outside.

The cool air was a shock to the system after the heat of the club. Ryan took a deep lungful of air as he led Gavin towards his car - he and Geoff had both brought their cars in case someone had had to head home early. Ryan didn’t think this situation had been in the cards, though.

Surprisingly, Gavin kept his hands mostly to himself on the drive home. There were a few wandering touches to his knee, ones that almost crept up towards thigh, but he didn’t do too much while Ryan was behind the wheel. Ryan was grateful for that. He was a risk taker, but he wasn’t a fan of the idea of crashing while trying to do things with Gavin.

It wasn’t until they reached the penthouse that Ryan realised something that gave him pause.

The moment they were through the door, they were on each other. Gavin seemed to pounce on him, arms thrown around his neck once more as he flung himself up for a kiss. At first, it felt so good to sweep Gavin up and bow his head to meet him for it at long last.

Perhaps if Ryan had been drinking too, he wouldn’t have noticed the sharp taste of alcohol on his partner’s lips. Considering he never did, though, it was overwhelming.

Ryan pulled back, brows furrowed. “Gavin, how much have you had to drink tonight?”

Gavin dropped back onto his feet, pouting as Ryan moved just out of his reach. “Not much! Why does it matter?”

“Because I’m not- I don’t want to do this if it’s a result from alcohol.” Ryan took a small step back, just enough to put a little bit of space between them. It ached to deny them this when he finally had this chance, but Ryan would never be able to forgive himself if this was all an alcohol-fuelled decision.

“It’s not!” Gavin insisted. He reached for Ryan, grabbing at his hands. “I’ve wanted this for ages, Ryan, I swear. It’s not because I’ve been drinking!”

Ryan felt his resolve waver a little, but he held firm. He gently squeezed Gavin’s hands as the fire in his belly died down again. Just maybe, this could be an opportunity for something a little sweeter - at least Ryan might be able to find out if the feelings were mutual.

“I’m not going to sleep with you if you’ve had something to drink,” Ryan said, firm but gentle. “If you still want this tomorrow, then I’m up for it. I just- I can’t do this for first time with you if you’ve got alcohol in your system.” He almost added more - _"I don't want it to be a mistake"_ \- but he bit his tongue.

Gavin looked a little put out, but he nodded with a sigh. “Alright. Can I at least come and sleep in your bed tonight?”

That was a surprising suggestion, and it made Ryan’s heart jump. Was that an indication of something more? God, he hoped so.

He almost tripped over himself to reply. “Of course you can,” he said. “And I promise, if you feel the same tomorrow, then we can see where this leads.”

He was sure he didn’t imagine the hope flickering across Gavin’s face, and there was certainly no mistaking the shy, pleased smile.

It gave Ryan hope for tomorrow.

* * *

That hope drained away the morning.

His bed was empty next to him, the sheets only carrying a little bit of lingering warmth. Ryan had already tried to shield himself from the hurt of this; if Gavin had done all this just for sex, Ryan couldn’t stay too mad at him. It still left an ache in his chest, but he’d deal with the rejection like an adult. He certainly wasn’t going to rage after him if he’d changed his mind.

Ryan dragged his hands over his face and sighed heavily. He decided he’d shower, and then find something to blow up. That sounded like a good plan.

He rolled out of bed, grabbed a fresh set of clothes, and headed into his bathroom-

And he stopped when there was a shocked yelp as the door opened.

Ryan pulled it mostly closed again, open just a crack as the person inside lunged for a towel. In his sleepy, admittedly sad haze this morning, he hadn’t heard his shower already going inside. “Uh…?”

“Knock first, you bastard!” Gavin called through. The water stopped running, and Ryan heard the wet slap of his feet on the tile as he climbed out. “Christ!”

All at once, Ryan’s upset started to melt away. He was quiet for a moment, and then, hesitantly, he admitted, “I thought you’d gone.”

It took a moment for Gavin to reply, too. There was just the sound of rustling from inside the bathroom, and then Gavin eased the door open further. His cheeks were pink from the shower and embarrassment, though the towel was tied around his waist now. Briefly, Ryan’s gaze dropped from his eyes to the droplets of water on his shoulders, and then he pulled it back up again before he lingered too long.

Gavin was simply staring at him, brows drawn together. “I meant what I said last night, Ryan. I…” His cheeks turned a little pinker. “I’ve wanted this for a while."

Ryan swallowed hard. If he didn’t ask now, he’d only end up hurting himself later. He knew Gavin wasn’t a fan of talking so plainly about such personal things, so Ryan decided to be the blunt one here. Once this was out of the way, it would, hopefully, be smooth sailing. “You’ve wanted to sleep with me, or you’ve wanted something more between us?”

Gavin ducked his head, a hand coming up to rub the back of his neck awkwardly, as he murmured, “Something more.”

It felt like everything slotted into place. A tension lifted from his shoulders, one that Ryan didn’t realise he’d been carrying this whole time.

He felt comfortable.

He tucked a finger under Gavin’s chin, gently tilting his head back up so he could meet his eyes. “I want something more, too,” he assured him. “I’m just too awkward to make a good first move.”

Gavin huffed out a quiet laugh. “You’re dumb,” he said fondly, and he reached up now to tangle his fingers in the front of Ryan’s shirt and tug him in for a soft kiss. This time, Gavin tasted like mint instead of beer.

Before Ryan could lose himself in the kiss, Gavin pushed him back again, his nose wrinkled. “Go and brush your teeth first,” he said, sidestepping Ryan so he could nudge him towards the bathroom. “I’ll wait here for you, but Christ, I’m not kissing you when you’ve got morning breath.”

Ryan laughed, and it felt like any remaining wisps of that weight vanished in that moment. Even though he still looked a little disgusted, Gavin giggled too; Ryan was still smiling when he shut himself in the bathroom to clean up like he’d planned. Now, though, instead of showering only to only to dirty himself again with a few explosions, he looked forward to simply spending time with Gavin.

By the time he emerged - his teeth brushed too, as per Gavin’s demands - he found the lad sprawled out on the bed again. He was on his stomach, towel still bunched up around his waist, and he had propped himself up on his elbows. As Ryan approached the bed, he realised that Gavin was gazing at the little potted plant on the bedside table.

He glanced back over his shoulder at Ryan, grinning. “You kept the cactus.”

“Of course I did,” Ryan said. He eased onto the bed, settling on his side by Gavin. “It was a gift. Why would I throw it away?”

“I dunno.” Gavin shrugged, and he rolled over to face Ryan. “I dunno what I expected you to do with it, really. You just said you wanted little plants.”

He let a hand settle on Gavin’s side. Gavin shifted closer to him; he appreciated him closing the distance. “So, again, why would I get rid of it?” he asked.

“Alright, good point.” Gavin brushed it off as easily as he had started it. One of his hands settled on Ryan’s chest, warm through the thin barrier of Ryan’s shirt. It seemed like Gavin had decided to entertain himself with just touching now, not that Ryan was complaining.

He instead busied himself with studying Gavin’s face up close. His eyes truly were such a pretty shade of green. “I never got to thank you for the cactus either,” he murmured. “So, thanks.”

A little smile tugged on the corner of Gavin’s lips. “I’ll buy you more,” he said, shifting his gaze up to meet Ryan’s. “I’m gonna get you loads of tiny little plants. And if you don’t name them, then I will.”

“Do you have a name for that one yet?” He tilted his head forwards a little, enough to brush his lips over Gavin’s again. It was such a soft and sweet touch, and yet it seemed to ignite last night’s fire in Gavin again; his hand shifted to grip Ryan’s upper arm, and he used the hold to haul himself closer and seek out longer kisses.

“Mm, Little… Spiked Ball,” Gavin murmured against Ryan’s lips.

While Gavin hadn’t broken away to talk, Ryan had to, if only because a giggle bubbled up in his chest. “Little Spiked Ball? I was thinking, hm, Reggie.”

“I’m distracted, alright, shut up.” Gavin huffed and poked his shoulder. “You should be, too. Now isn’t the time to be thinking about your bloody potted plant, Ryan.”

His irritation was all an act, though. Ryan felt his smile when he leaned in to kiss him again.

It started slow and sweet, more of an exploration than the unbridled want from last night. Even though this was, finally, the moment Ryan had dreamed of for so long, he didn’t want to rush it - there would be other times to tumble into bed together, but he wanted to take this first time slowly enough to commit it to memory. He wanted to find the things that Gavin liked so he could use them later on down the line.

Luckily, Gavin seemed content to take it steady, too. He’d vibrated with barely controlled desire before, but now he just melted into Ryan’s slow kisses.

The turning point was relatively small.

Ryan gently bit down on Gavin’s lower lip, and the lad whined quietly, wanting.

His hand dropped from Gavin’s hip, resting instead on the bit of bare thigh peeking out from his towel. Gavin was so warm under his touch, and he responded beautifully when Ryan gently squeezed - he whimpered again, body arching closer. Almost without thought, Ryan guided Gavin to hook his leg around his waist, though Ryan paused when Gavin had settled there and his fingers were tucked under the knot of his towel.

“You want to do stuff, right?” he asked. If this was just some heavy kissing, if Gavin wanted to take things truly slow, Ryan wouldn’t mind.

But Gavin tucked his leg more securely around Ryan, and he used the leverage to roll against him beautifully. Ryan’s breath hitched at the rough press of the towel, even through his underwear.

“I’ve wanted to _do stuff_ for bloody _months_ ,” Gavin groaned. His fingers dug into Ryan’s shoulder a little harder as he shifted against him again. “Christ, I need you to fuck me already. _Please_.”

Ryan didn’t need telling twice.

With Gavin’s permission in mind, he rolled the lad flat onto his back so he could kneel between his spread legs. The towel was lost with the motion, leaving Gavin wonderfully bare underneath him. Ryan propped himself up on his hands to run his gaze down Gavin’s body, eagerly drinking in the sight.

Gavin was sprawled almost effortlessly - Ryan wondered if he’d purposefully let himself fall that way to put on a bit of a show for Ryan. He seemed like the type. His hair was ruffled where it had started to dry against the sheets, and there was a light blush on his face that was getting darker the more worked up he got. What seemed like miles of tanned skin was on display for Ryan, and to top it all off, Gavin was half hard against his thigh already.

Ryan could barely believe that this was all his to touch.

He started by dipping down to connect their lips again. Gavin arched up to meet him, his fingers threading into Ryan’s hair. To his delight, Gavin gave an experimental tug on it; when a groan rumbled in Ryan’s chest, Gavin grew braver, and he pulled it a little harder. Ryan shuddered.

Gradually, Ryan worked his way down Gavin’s jaw, pressing wet kisses and gentle nips into his skin. He adored the way Gavin’s chest heaved from the teasing; the lower he went, the harder Gavin pulled on his hair, too.

When Ryan reached the sharp shape of his hips, he wrapped his fingers around the base of Gavin’s cock and licked a long stripe up the underside of it.

Gavin moaned; it almost sounded like he’d taken a punch to the gut.

“I’ll fuck you,” Ryan promised, “but I want to do this first.”

Gavin’s fingers pleasantly scraped against his scalp as he held on tighter. “Be my guest,” he rasped.

It was tempting to close his eyes and lose himself in the rhythm of sucking Gavin off, but Ryan wanted to watch him fall apart. As he slowly took the head onto his tongue, he looked up at Gavin from under his eyelashes, trying desperately to see what he could from this angle.

It wasn’t much, and sadly he couldn’t see Gavin’s face since he’d tossed his head back, but there were the little details: Gavin’s free hand clutching at the sheets, his chest jumping as he gasped, the muscles of his thighs tensing with the effort not to buck into Ryan’s mouth. Truth be told, Ryan wouldn’t have minded if Gavin wanted to, though he decided to mention that to him another time. Right now, he just wanted him.

He took delight in slowly, torturously sinking down to Gavin’s base. His throat spasmed a little - usually, Ryan was pretty good at this, but it had been a while - and Gavin let out a strangled noise in response.

Ryan sunk down over his cock gradually, taking his time to make sure Gavin felt every inch. He felt his hips twitch under his grip again, though Gavin seemed to fight to keep them still. Gavin’s restraint gave Ryan all kinds of ideas that he decided to save for later.

As Ryan slowly bobbed on his length, Gavin’s fingers flexed in his hair again, almost like he wasn’t sure what to do with his hands. It was, admittedly, a purposeful decision to make his movements predictable - Ryan didn’t want to push Gavin over the edge just yet - and so far, Gavin hadn’t complained about it. If anything, with how excited he was, Ryan imagined he was grateful for the chance to hold on a little easier.

He pulled off of him so he could lean off to the side, though he still stroked Gavin as he reached into his bedside table. Panting, Gavin raised his head; horny and dazed was a good look on him.

“What are you doing, love?” he asked.

Ryan pulled out a tube of lube, and he wiggled it at him as his answer. “Getting this.” He paused, and then added, “If that’s where you wanna go right now?”

Gavin blinked at him, and his cheeks turned a darker shade of pink than they already were as understanding set in. He nodded. “God, yes.”

He gave Gavin’s cock one last stroke from base to tip before he let go. Gavin arched after him with a whimper. “Relax,” Ryan murmured, “I’ve got you.” He clicked open the lube and squeezed some out onto his fingers, warming it a little before he dipped his hand between Gavin’s legs.

He took it slowly here, too. He eased one finger into Gavin at first, dragging his lips over his hips in distracting kisses to try and draw his attention away from any discomfort. Gavin never mentioned any ache from the stretch, though; he just rolled his hips into Ryan’s touch in a silent plea for more.

By the time he had worked up to three, Gavin was growing impatient. “Ryan, come on, please,” he huffed, biting his lip as his hips rolled. “I’m ready. Put your damn cock in me already.”

“Since you asked so nicely,” Ryan replied, playfully sarcastic.

He withdrew his fingers and reached into the drawer for a condom this time. He put it aside while he finally undressed, and by the time he’d knelt back in position again, Gavin had already scooped it up and torn open the packet. A devilish grin was on his face as he reached down, caressing Ryan’s length teasingly before he rolled it on. After leaving himself untouched, even that light brush felt so good.

Ryan let out a soft huff as a shiver of pleasure ran down his spine. “Gavin,” he muttered as the lad properly took him in hand.

“Mm?” He sounded so innocent, like he wasn’t jerking off one of Los Santos’ most notorious criminals.

“ _Gavin_ ,” he repeated.

“Yes, love?”

He pressed forwards, shifting them so Gavin was on his back again, though he didn’t seem deterred. He grinned up at Ryan, looking all too pleased with his response. “You were the one asking me to put my damn cock in you already,” he pointed out, “so stop fucking _teasing_.”

“I’m not teasing, but alright.” Gavin smirked as he let go of him. “Can’t I touch my boyfriend’s bits?”

“You can,” Ryan promised, guiding one of Gavin’s legs around his waist again, “when you’re gonna do something other than be a little shit.”

Gavin’s laugh was bright and delighted, and it made happiness bubble up in Ryan’s chest. God, he’d forgotten what it was like to sleep with someone who he could laugh with like this.

When Ryan lined up and carefully pressed into Gavin, his smile morphed into a pleased gasp. Gavin clutched at Ryan’s shoulders again, lightly dragging his nails across his skin to leave red streaks behind, like he was marking Ryan as his own. That possessive streak became quickly more obvious when Gavin pressed his mouth to Ryan’s neck and started to bite a trail of marks along it.

Ryan already loved that about him. As far as he was concerned, Gavin could leave all the hickeys he wanted.

It was like Gavin read his mind; Ryan stayed still when his hips were flush with Gavin’s ass to give him time to adjust first. The lad took that opportunity to squeeze his thighs around Ryan’s waist to hold tight while he marked up his throat.

“Jesus,” Ryan gasped, lips staying parted. His grip tightened a little on Gavin’s hip, and he felt Gavin’s smile against his skin.

“That good, am I?” he snickered. “And you haven’t even started movi-” Gavin cut himself off with a groan when Ryan rocked forwards to make him be quiet. It trailed off into a huff when Ryan snorted, quietly amused. “Knobhead,” Gavin muttered.

They met again for a kiss, more teeth and tongue than lips, when Ryan did start moving. Like before, he started slow, keeping close to Gavin; now that he had it, Ryan craved this intimacy with him. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of it.

Gavin let his head loll back so he could breathe, his breaths coming in short pants as Ryan took his sweet time pressing into him. “Christ,” he murmured. “More, please?”

He never could deny Gavin.

Ryan held himself up a little more so he could have better leverage. He shivered when the new angle let him sink deeper into Gavin, and judging by Gavin’s moan, it was just as good for him, too. He’d hoped he’d be able to maintain control long enough to tease this way a little more, but it was quickly becoming apparent that patience wasn’t an option for either of them.

There was still something sweet in it even as Ryan started to properly move, thrusting into Gavin at a steady pace. “Fuck, you’re tight,” he breathed, and Gavin gave another breathless laugh under him.

“S’been a while,” he murmured, nails digging into Ryan’s shoulders. “Fuck, _harder_.”

Slow wasn’t an option now, though Ryan tried not to be too harsh. His free hand curled into the sheets as he snapped his hips into Gavin, delighting in the pleased moan from his partner. Gavin’s fingers threaded into his hair again, and he dragged Ryan down for a clumsy, open-mouthed kiss. He swallowed Gavin’s moan as the lad bucked up against him.

Gavin slipped his hand between them to touch himself; Ryan felt the brush of his knuckles against his abdomen, and idly noticed it was roughly in time with his thrusts. His noises climbed in pitch the closer Gavin got to his peak.

“Ryan,” he whined, “Ryan, I’m close, please-”

Ryan was right there with him, quicker than he’d thought. Desperation fuelled him now - the want to please Gavin as well as the desire to get off. Gavin tossed his head back with a wordless cry; Ryan felt him spill between them.

Given how close he was, he only needed a few quick thrusts before he followed Gavin over the edge. Ryan curled over him as he came hard, pleasure tingling through his nerves and leaving him barely able to hold himself up on his forearms. Before he squashed Gavin, Ryan carefully pulled out of him and flopped to the side next to him, his breathing heavy.

Gavin stretched out next to him, a satisfied groan rolling off of his tongue. “God, yes. I knew you’d be that good.”

Ryan snorted as he clumsily tied off the condom and tossed it towards the bin. It narrowly missed; he’d deal with it when he could feel his legs again. “Thanks?”

When Gavin rolled over to snuggle into his side, Ryan laid his arm along his back, inviting him to get comfortable. Odds are nothing important would happen today, so they should theoretically be free to laze around in bed anyway. Ryan didn't feel too bad about the idea of staying where they were. “Anytime,” Gavin replied, and he shot a sly grin up at Ryan. “Really. Once I can move properly again, I’m gonna think of something to do to return the favour.”

A pleasant shiver ran through Ryan. “Well, we do have a lot of lost time to make up for,” he agreed.

“Yep.” Gavin closed his eyes, and he let out a long, relaxed sigh. “But first, nap time.”

Ryan frowned. “We just got up. It’s literally the morning.”

“Don’t care. You shagged my brains out, and now I need a nap.”

And with Gavin using his chest as a pillow, it didn’t look like he was going anywhere anytime soon. Before he knew it, Gavin’s breathing had evened out, and he was fast asleep once again.

Ryan didn’t really mind being a pillow. He settled down too, content to relax next to Gavin.

* * *

They emerged late into the afternoon; after Gavin's nap and a few more rounds, their stomachs began to complain. Ryan knew they both looked like a bit of a mess - hair ruffled, necks marked up - but he was hoping to sneak past anyone who was around to grab them some food, and then ideally they could retreat again. If they were really lucky, maybe everyone else would even just be too tired to be up yet. He was banking on the other two lads, at least, being too hungover to be doing much.

Instead, they found the other four all gathered in the living room, hanging out and watching TV.

Michael glanced up at them only briefly before he turned his gaze back to whatever he was watching. “Jeremy, you owe me money.”

The other lad looked up suddenly, frowning. “What?”

Michael just held out his hand. “Money, Lil J. I won.”

Similarly, Jack extended her palm to Geoff and said, “Pay up.” And, when Geoff started to grumble as he dug into his pocket, Jack held a finger up. “You should know better than to bet against me and Michael, Geoffrey," she added. 

“Oh, fuck off,” Geoff snapped.

“You _bet_ on us?” Gavin squawked. Ryan gently took him by the arm to guide him to the kitchen, electing to ignore them all, even though he could feel his cheeks burning. " _Michael_! I told you stuff that was supposed to stay between us!”

Michael tucked a considerable number of bills into his wallet, looking far too smug. “I didn’t tell anyone shit,” he promised. “I just used what I know to make some money. I’ll buy you a beer with it.”

Clearly, Gavin wanted to throw around accusations, so Ryan left him in the doorway. Rather than linger and embarrass himself, Ryan busied himself with trying to find something to cook for himself and Gavin, so they could leave as soon as possible. Ryan didn’t even want to _know_ the details of the bet.

“Jack?” Gavin said, rounding on her. “What’s your excuse?”

“Y’all are just fucking blind,” she said simply. Ryan could imagine her shrugging, and admittedly, he had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing. “Including you two idiots. I saw this coming from a fucking mile away.”

Ryan only heard Michael's sharp, shotgun laugh, and then Gavin was worming his way under his arm, pouting as he tucked his face into his shoulder. “They’re all knobheads,” he muttered.

“I know.” Ryan rubbed his side fondly. “I’ll get ‘em.”

“No, you’re too much of a big softy,” Gavin sighed, shaking his head. “They’re just arseholes.”

“Hey, I am not soft,” Ryan protested.

The look Gavin shot him said otherwise. Ryan frowned; maybe he needed to work on his Vagabond image some more. “You’re scary out there, love, but not in here. Sorry.”

“Way to break my fucking heart already, jeez.”

“Ryan, no!” Gavin laughed and turned to face him, grasping him by his shirt to gently pull him down for a sweet kiss. “No, I’m not gonna break your heart, I’m trying to help!”

“By saying I’m not scary, sure.” Ryan rolled his eyes, but he wound his arms around Gavin, keeping him snuggled in close. “I’m scary, you’ll see.”

“Not to me,” Gavin cooed, drumming his fingers on Ryan’s chest.

He had to admit defeat there. Ryan chuckled and shook his head. “No, not to you. I like you too much.”

Ryan kissed Gavin again, and the lad melted against him, playful arguing forgotten. He didn’t try to provoke it again when they parted, nor while he made them breakfast. By the time they sat down to eat, Ryan wasn’t even worrying about the Vagabond’s image.

He wouldn’t forget about the fucking bet, though.


End file.
